86 days later, bells peal at Kedarnath temple once again

86 days later, bells peal at Kedarnath temple once again

The pealing of bells may have brought alive the Himalayan shrine of Kedarnath on Wednesday, but heaps of broken doors and razed walls just a few meters away are a tell-tale sign of the massive devastation suffered in the June calamity.

Several structures close to the shrine are lying in a shambles, with heaps of wooden planks, broken doors and razed walls lying just a few meters away from the temple. Structures lying close to the temple are still cluttered with tonnes of debris under which a large number of bodies might be lying, officials said

The huge rock that saved the shrine was also worshipped on Wednesday, by a team of priests as pujas resumed at the shrine after a gap of 86 days.

"The road route to the shrine has also been opened for a limited number of pilgrims from the nearby areas at their own risk," Rudraprayag DM Dilip Javalkar said.Full-fledged yatra has not yet resumed.

A review meeting will be held on September 30 to take stock of the situation and decide on the possibility of resuming the full-fledged yatra.